michaelt

My SO just sent me jpgs of her OF-169, and she signed her signature "first and last name" (in pin yin, as she has throughout this process) and wrote Chinese characters where it says "print name". I sent her instructions to the contrary but I believe she got this from 001 website English/Chinese sample form? Should she change this? Thank you all!

Thank you so much. It'll be here before you know it! Hang in there.

According to this chart it looks like a 6. http://www.eshishang.com/ringsize.html Yes !! My wife is a Chinese size 13, and the US 6.5 fit her well !!! I waited until she fell asleep and then I slid the ring on her finger, and let her discover it when she woke early the next morning !!! Too cool !!!!! That is so nice! What a great idea! Thank you

Did this come from Carl? Why does it sound like exactly what DavidZ would say? For those who actually have their wives/fiancees in the US, I will accept their posts at face value. Some have been quite lucky to have Chinese women who have adapted relatively quickly and easily. For the rest who still have their wives/fiancees in China, I would strongly urge you NOT to believe everything that is said over the phone or webcam and take that to be set in stone. Or try to set into stone what you heard over the phone/webcam. I believe you'll be very disappointed if you do. As Tony pointed out, people change. It's a given. I believe 100% that most of the Chinese SOs have no idea what life will really be like in the US. No matter if they've seen 1000 photos of your home town and hundreds of videos of life in the US, they'll have no idea until they've actually lived it. Especially for the folks who live in more rural areas in the US where there's little to no Asians, there is no way you can or should believe your SO that it won't bother them not to see other Asian people. That's just ridiculous. For a race of people who are not use to seeing any laoweis and seeing 100% Chinese all day every day to suddenly be dropped into a strange place where there are no Asians, that will be bewildering to say the least. America will be as strange to your SOs as China was strange to you the first time you went there. I rarely talk about my wife because I like to keep our personal lives private but on this issue, I will disclose somethings, to use as a personal example. My wife is from Shanghai, born and bred. She's relatively cosmopolitan compared with the rest of China. She lived with me for a while when I was in China and I had exposed her to a lot of western food. She worked at an education company which recruited foreigners to teach English in Shanghai. She was exposed to (and in fact managed) a group of loweis on a day to day basis. She was plenty exposed to the behavior of Americans. She embraced most things Western like so many of the urban youths in China today. She thought she would have no adjustment period to the US at all. She told me plenty of times in China not to be concerned and that she'd embrace the US easily and quickly. Well, that was then, and this is now. After having been here 5 months, she's really starting to miss SH. We eat Chinese a lot at home, but she is still extremely hungry for real street food from SH. She's always talking about food from China. Even though she loves pizza, filet mignon and green salads, she's always talking about real Chinese food lately. I can sense how she's missing SH/China more and more. Additionally, she's talking more and more about going home for a visit sooner, rather than later. She's really starting to miss her parents--and her twin nieces. This has even surprised herself. She never thought she'd miss her parents as much as she does now. Speaking with her nieces on the phone can bring tears to her eyes. All of this is hitting her like she'd never have imagined. She admits she never thought she'd feel like this, but she does now. I've disclosed all this for no other reason than to convey that Chinese people have no idea what life will be like prior to getting here. No matter how much you try to tell them, they really have no idea. It's only after they get here and have been here a month or two when reality will really sink in. Too many CFL members have complained on here "But that's not what she told me when she was in China." "That's not what she said she wanted before." I've always hated reading those posts because how can you expect the Chinese ladies to foretell how their lives will be in the US when they really have no conception of what life will be like in the US. Even if she believes she knows, she really doesn't. It's like asking an American if he really understands what living in China for several years would be like if he's never been to China before. He can't! One can't sincerely expect our SOs to 100% keep to what they said back in China. If you do, you do at your own peril. We've read stories such as Rak's and Jim's. I don't dispute their happy stories. Their ladies seem to have had a very easy adjustment, but there are plenty of stories which are either not told, or are only told on 001/002, where the adjustments have been miserable. For all the folks advocating aggressive integration into the US culture, just imagine if you were to go live in China and had to always watch Chinese TV, always eat Chinese food, only befriend Chinese friends, and always conduct yourself with Chinese mannerism and etiquette. I think everyone, including myself, will utterly fail. So don't try to push this onto your SOs. While I respect Jim_J very much and I hold his posts in high regards, I don't think his success with his wife will directly translate to everyone else. I support what he suggests in moderation, but I honestly believe the Chinese SO will be much happier to see a lot of Chinese things at home. Sawadee, being a Chinese SO, so eloquently described what it meant to her, even to have one Chinese newspaper or magazine. These kinds of small connections with the home country are truly priceless. They mean a great deal more than their actual cost in dollar amounts. With all due respect to Sino and his lovely fiancee, I do find it very ironic that a Chinese lady who has been living in the US for three years being disregarded for giving--what I believe to be--wise advice. While it may indeed turn out that Sino's lovely fiancee won't need any of the things suggested by her friend in OR, I think what the friend suggested was very apropos. I would urge many of you to seriously consider what that Chinese lady said. Yes, people are all different. But with all due respect, I certainly would take the advice of someone whose been living here for three years over someone who has not lived in the US for one day. Just my two cents. Y'all are free to disagree. As someone who's SO hasn't arrived yet, I find this post extremely enlightening. Not that those of others like JimJ aren't, they are. But whenever I've read a post about someone's SO who says she doesn't want much to do with anything Chinese when she gets here, I"ve always thought to myself that it sounds like she is saying what she thinks her SO wants to hear. Lance's example of contrasting her coming here to live as opposed to us going there to do the same really makes the most sense to me. I've thought to myself after two visits that I could live in China easily. But when you really think about it in the terms Lance lays out, maybe not so easy. And the same goes for our SOs I think. So I'll do as much as I can to prepare for her with her input and be ready to change ANYTHING after she's actually here. Same here Dave. And if I come up with any enlightening ideas, I promise to share with all!!!

That's great Michael! Congrats on both accounts. On to P4. Ofcourse I now owe my boss big time and will never be home from work to see my Fang!!!! just kidding... Thank you for your congrats, and same to you! On to P4 for us all.... BTW, Fang IS in touch with Mr. Yang, and that seems to be where we'll be. Hope to see you there!!!!

Thank you so much for your kind wishes. Today WAS a big day. I've been sweating time off for the interview trip since May. Thank you again and I will pass your nice wishes along to Fang.

Thank you so much guys. You're the best! Looks to be a 6 to me too. Fang was so cute. She told me Chinese ring size, circumference, diameter, perimeter and a few other specs I've never heard of!!! Fang got her P3 yesterday! I'm sitting here designing CD labels for a couple of CD's of us webcamming for her interview. Also almost finished with Letter of Evolution. BUT, the best news is, got the ok from my boss for interview trip AND week off when she gets here!!! Hit a home run today boys!!!! Thanks again Dave and SirLancelot!

Does anyone know how a ring finger size of 12# told to my fiancee in China translates to America ring sizes? Thank you all (as always!)

Thank you so much Mike & Zhen! May you two always be happy!!!!

Thank you very much. You should be out having fun!!!! I think my SO was happy with talking to Mr. Yang. I just wanted her to have choices. Not doing business for a year sounds a bit concerning. Any suggestions for a step up from these choices. Is that even necessary when considering the help and comfort the Yang's may provide to my gal?

I asked my SO to call both Mr. Yang and Mr. Xie to see who she felt most comfortable with to stay for her interview. She called Mr. Yang and was pleased with the conversation. Mr. Xie's phone number is disconnected? Is he and his wife no longer in business? Isn't his wife a member here? Does anyone have current contact information? Thank you all : )

Thank you so much everybody! I am beginning to assemble many things this weekend (although still holding off on things like bank and employer letter letter, so they are current). It's funny that there are several different approaches or philosophies to this and, ironically, I bet they are all correct, at one time or another, and just dependant on the mood at GUZ at the time. I'm also sure that there are pre-established monthly "quotas". I also feel that much of these decisions have already been decided based on original I-129 application and it's contents. Thank you again everybody. I will save this topic and refer to it as I "edit" this weekend!

Thank you everyone, and thank you Dave! (my first "congrats") Feels good, hope to have reason for more someday!!! Also starting to feel out co-workers for me to go to interview AND taking time off a month or so later for her arrival in the US. So far, so good. I still have two more key people to talk to. (I need to keep co-workers and employer happy since I am new to this company and was referred by one of my co-workers. I'd love to see us all in October!!!

Any suggestions for a "reasonable" amount of e-mails and web chat sessions to send my SO for interview? I have printed over 300 e-mails alone. I do not want her hauling too much stuff! Also, is it ok to just "copy" receipts, itinerary and boarding pass for interview? I do not want originals to get lost. Thank you all! Finally got NVC Out letter today in the mail despite having GUZ number since June 18! Adds a whole new meaning to snail mail I guess?

Hi Clayton, I'm starting on this now and hope it's not so long that they opt to wait for the movie? Hey Michael, I have mine written to computer now. I'll be waiting for my return home after my third visit to update and write by hand just prior to the interview trip. Perhaps add and write of this also. With the mushy stuff, I highlighted all dates, travels together, amount of days of visits, number of visits...etc. Fairly simple, but reading responses I got from my post I scaled back on the movie, whittled down the novel and I ended up with 1.5 pages. I am watching your posts most closely now. We couldn't have a closer timeline. One day diff on the NVC out date. Keep your eyes on mine. Called DOS today for my weekly update to learn nothing new. How about you? Clayton Hi Clayton, By the way, Fang has called Mr. Yang and likes him. I think you will atleast get to meet Fang!!!

Hi Clayton, I'm starting on this now and hope it's not so long that they opt to wait for the movie? Hey Michael, I have mine written to computer now. I'll be waiting for my return home after my third visit to update and write by hand just prior to the interview trip. Perhaps add and write of this also. With the mushy stuff, I highlighted all dates, travels together, amount of days of visits, number of visits...etc. Fairly simple, but reading responses I got from my post I scaled back on the movie, whittled down the novel and I ended up with 1.5 pages. I am watching your posts most closely now. We couldn't have a closer timeline. One day diff on the NVC out date. Keep your eyes on mine. Called DOS today for my weekly update to learn nothing new. How about you? Clayton No word on anything here either. Last call to DOS last Thursday only told me June 18 date to GUZ. I already knew that. DOS then sent me back to NVC if I want hardcopy stating that file was sent to GUZ. NVC said they would send me hardcopy this week. I think we are just on auto pilot and not much else to do except wait for P3 from GUZ. I'm a bit concerned because estimated interview date may be problematic for me to be there. All depends on P3 arrival before I can project time frame and possibly slow down filing to get November interview? Started writing my Evolution of Relationship. Not sure if I'm even going about it the right way, but I'm sure there will be a sequal. Right now it's slightly longer than War and Peace....

Hi Clayton, I'm starting on this now and hope it's not so long that they opt to wait for the movie?

Congratulations Mike & Zhen and thank you so much for the write-up. I hope you don't mind but I forwarded to my sweet Fang. I wish you both a beautiful life together!!!!

Yes, as usual, Dan's info is top-notch and is accepted at all banks. B) The 3/4 pics are definately not what you want. Thank you. Care to comment on US dollars needed for what step in this process and marriageability certificate? I thought her divorce papers would suffice?

two of each is the best policy i think. Yes 2 of each, 1 set for the consulate, and 1 set to bring to the USA for adjustment and other uses. the police report and marriagibility cert can be 1 set because only needed for the visa interview, Birth cert you should get several copies. The passport pics can be bought on the 4th floor of the consulate building, they need to be the 2"x2" size, and are hard to find in other places, get several, again useful for AOS paperwork in the USA. I saw marriageability certificate but did not think it was applicable? My fiancee is divorced. Must she get this? And from where? Also, do you remember what part of this process requires US dollars? Sorry Don, just dotting my i's..... : ) But still managed to spell your name wrong!! sorry....

two of each is the best policy i think. Yes 2 of each, 1 set for the consulate, and 1 set to bring to the USA for adjustment and other uses. the police report and marriagibility cert can be 1 set because only needed for the visa interview, Birth cert you should get several copies. The passport pics can be bought on the 4th floor of the consulate building, they need to be the 2"x2" size, and are hard to find in other places, get several, again useful for AOS paperwork in the USA. I saw marriageability certificate but did not think it was applicable? My fiancee is divorced. Must she get this? And from where? Also, do you remember what part of this process requires US dollars? Sorry Don, just dotting my i's..... : )

Thank you. Are they "passport" pictures or "visa" pictures? I want to convey the correct words to my SO. I believe OF-169 is referring to "visa" photos (3/4 frontal view). OF-169 say's get 2. Kitchen sink says 4? The 3/4 view is an outdated spec that is no longer acceptable. Here is the current spec used by DOS and USCIS. http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/04_08_02Photo_flyer.pdf http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/faq/faq_881.html (Full frontal 2"x2") Thank you. So, the photo's that are asked for on the OF-169 that I downloaded are really just passport photos, and the OF-169 description of 3/4 frontal view is inaccurate? I hope the latest OF-169 that will be sent to my fiance clarifys that?

Everything helps and I thank you for taking the time to help me. (Fang and I have good wishes going your way!!!)

This is more correct... 3 sets minium.. and I will have my SO get up to 4. I lose things way to much, and I know USCIS is prone to lose papers to.. Having my wifes mother go get those papers while my wife is here in the USA does not sound like a good idea. >L Thank you so much, everybody! I will share this info with my sweet Fang.

You're wonderful and I thank you so much for taking the time to write! I was looking for current opinions since the best posts about TianYu Garden and Mr. Xie's place are a bit dated. Thank you again, I wish you both much success and happiness! : )